Early Years News, Articles, Guides & More
Stay up-to-date with our articles, guides and news relating to early years learning and education.
Early Years News, Articles, Guides & More
Stay up-to-date with our articles, guides and news relating to early years learning and education.
Journal — Latest Articles for Parents:
News & Articles
Our Amazing Nursery
Little Acorns is a nursery & preschool in Padiham, Lancashire, near Hapton, Rose Grove, Burnley, Altham, Huncoat, Read, Simonstone, Sabden, Higham & Wood End. We offer outstanding weekday childcare for babies (3 months +), toddlers & children up to 5 years old.
Contact Little Acorns
Chapel House
Victoria Road
Padiham
Lancashire, BB12 8RF
01282 680 822
Email us here
Opening Hours
Open 7 am – 6 pm Mon-Fri
A Quick Guide to Parenting Styles
— Which Style is Best?
There are many different ways to approach parenting. Sometimes, however, it can be a challenge to know which parenting style is the most appropriate for a child and a specific situation. Most parents will want their child to understand the boundaries they set, while also facilitating a happy, fun-filled childhood. Most will also want their children to be kind and respectful to others and become well-rounded, confident individuals. At the same time, parents will need to decide how strict or lenient they are in their parenting approach. Which style is best for the child? Terms like ‘gentle parenting’, ‘helicopter parenting’, ‘authoritative parenting’ and many others are often discussed online and in the press — but it may not be clear what each style means! That’s where today’s Quick Guide to Parenting Styles comes in. It should give parents a better idea of where their current parenting style fits in, and which style(s) may be the most beneficial for their child.
Let’s Go On A Winter Nature Hunt! (With Free Activity Poster)
Winter has arrived, and, along with this new, cold season, come some remarkable things for children to see outside in the natural world — and that’s exactly what today’s post is all about. It’s a challenge to little ones to see if they can spot 20 nature-related things outdoors over the coming winter months. What’s more, it comes with a free poster that children can download, print out, and use for reference while they’re out and about on their Winter Nature Hunt.
The New Ofsted Report Cards: Rough Guide for Parents
Since November 2025, Ofsted has been rolling out new-style assessments for early years providers, schools, higher education settings, and skills providers. Parents will therefore start to notice the new way of presenting Ofsted ratings. They are multifaceted, with comprehensive detail, and also provide contextual information and metrics that give greater meaning to assessment conclusions.
Key to the new Ofsted assessments is the new, multi-part Report Card. This combines a quick, colour-coded snapshot of the setting’s performance, with sub-sections that delve deeper into how the setting measured up against key areas. All of this replaces the historical approach that, until now, simply used short, some would say controversial, one or two-word “judgements” — Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. Today, we take a look at the new Report Card, explaining how it is presented and what information this new assessment reporting will contain.
Magical Childhood Moments — Simple Ways to Nurture Wonder in Under-5s
As parents and caregivers, we have the privilege of seeing that magic unfold to our children. We also have the power to nurture it. Sometimes such moments appear in the most unexpected of places, while at other times, they grow from shared adventures that have taken a little more planning. All such experiences can become treasured memories that a child can carry with them for years — and we can help.
The Importance of Outdoor Play in the Early Years: A Guide for Parents
Leaf Nature Hunt Activity for Kids – with Free Reference Poster
Never Let People Kiss Your Newborn Baby! Here’s Why
Did you know that kisses can potentially kill young babies in some circumstances? Sadly, many new parents are simply unaware of the dangers that such a loving and innocent act can potentially have on the well-being of their infant. It’s due to the immaturity of a newborn baby’s immune system and how that puts them at risk of contracting potentially catastrophic infections. These are infections that would usually cause only mild symptoms in older children and adults, but may cause potentially devastating harm to infants. One particular worry for newborns and those in the first few weeks of life comes from being kissed by a friend or relative who has a specific virus. Worryingly, it’s a virus which most adults carry. What’s more, many adults do not even realise they carry the virus. However, if a newborn baby catches it, it can be deadly. Today, we explain more about the risks associated with kissing babies and why it’s best not to let friends and relatives kiss a recently-born infant.
Ofsted: Little Acorns Nursery is a ‘Good Provider’ – It’s Official!
Applications Now Open for ‘30 Hours’ Childcare Scheme — for Children (9m+) of Working Parents
Read on to learn more about what’s available through this newly extended funding scheme, eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and more.
Spring Nature Hunt Activity for Under-5s (with Free Poster!)
In the height of spring, sunshine lifts our spirits, spring flowers bloom and birds and pollinators suddenly become more abundant. With so much flora and fauna bursting forth and beauty all around, it’s a wonderful time for children to get outdoors to experience nature first-hand. In today’s activity, they can do all of that through a mid-spring nature hunt. We even supply a free poster for little ones to use as reference during the activity! The fresh air will be good for them, they can burn off some energy as they explore the outdoors, and nature will benefit them in a myriad of ways. They’ll discover more about the natural world, nurture their own well-being through close proximity to nature, and learn about some of the natural delights that come with the season. What’s more, spending time close to nature is good for parents too!